After scoring six times in the 4th quarter against No. 3 Murfreesboro Mayhem (11-4) to draw within two, top-seeded Soddy Daisy needed to work fast in order to completely erase what was once a seven-goal deficit. Unfortunately for the Trojans, the hole was too deep to climb out of. Mayhem sophomore midfielder Clayton Clark's steal and score with two minutes remaining all but put the game out of reach.
Soddy Daisy’s 15-12 loss Friday evening at the TSLA State Championship in Nolensville ended the Trojans stellar 2018 season with a 13-2 record, the program’s best record in its 8-year history. Though the result was less than desirable, the Trojans showed encouraging signs of life in their would-be fourth quarter comeback.
After going down four goals to Murfreesboro in the opening quarter, Soddy Daisy scored five goals in the second quarter and ended the half down by just two goals, 5-7. The games offensive MVP, Murfreesboro's Tanner Popovich, scored three goals in the first half.
The Mayhem scored early and often in the third quarter, however. Murfreesboro scored three goals within the first two minutes of the third quarter to extend the team’s lead. The Mayhem would go on to score six goals in the third quarter for a 13-6 lead over the Trojans. Five players scored for the Mayhem in the third quarter including junior attackman Steven Popovich, senior attackman Jake Schlacter, sophomore midfielder Clayton Clark, sophomore midfielder Jack Clark, and senior midfielder Tanner Popovich.
Junior attackman Blake Morrow scored 13 seconds into the fourth quarter to kick off Soddy Daisy’s comeback attempt. Nate Schofield was instrumental in the final stanza winning 9-of-12 faceoff attempts (against All-League faceoff specialist Jack Clark) while collecting a team leading 6 groundballs. Four Trojans found the back of the cage over the final 12 minutes of the game, including senior midfielder Chance Humphries, junior attackman Blake Morrow, and junior midfielder Jack Durain, who completed a hat trick with his fourth quarter markers.
Six Soddy Daisy players collected points in the contest, but individual success did not amount to a team victory. Sophomore attackman Ethan Hyde scored two goals and dished out 5 assists. Sophomore LSM Brandon Hale collected 5 groundballs. Sophomore midfield Noah Flinn also scored.
One of the Mayhem player's father commented after the game, "Our boys had been wanting this re-match all year after the early season loss [to Soddy Daisy]." The Trojans won the regular season matchup over Murfreesboro by a score of 12-3. The defensive MVP of the game was Mayhem senior goalkeeper Zane Gannon. Murfreesboro's State Championship is the second in program history, winning also in 2015.
